Wynn Presented with Jane Addams American Spirit Award

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Immigrant Center has honored Michael Wynn as the recipient of the Jane Addams American Spirit Award.

Jane Addams was a staunch supporter of immigrants, the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and a role model for those who volunteered to uplift their communities.

This award was initiated five years ago to recognize outstanding immigrant advocates in our community who embody the strong principles, moral integrity, and intense activism that Jane Addams stood for. Past winners of this award were former Pittsfield Mayor Jim Ruberto, State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Richard Delmasto, Eleanore Velez, and Alfred Enchill.

In his role within the Pittsfield Police Department, first as captain and then as chief, Wynn has been an outstanding advocate for civil rights, public safety, and education. Wynn recognized the changing demographics of the Berkshires and the challenges and opportunities that come with an increasingly diverse community. He fostered a culture of welcoming and inclusivity within the Pittsfield police force through the availability of bilingual outreach materials, Spanish-language training for officers, and collaboration with the Mayor’s Office to provide an economic incentive to hire more bilingual officers.


Wynn’s strengthening of police-immigrant relations in Pittsfield has been essential to countering immigrants’ fear of law enforcement, often borne from corruption, armed militias and violent security forces in their native countries, to building trust and communication.

“From a public safety perspective, the police-immigrant relationship is essential for effective community policing. We need to help newcomers understand the structure and function of the police department, promote public safety, and establish a trusting community for all,” stated Chief Wynn upon receiving the award. Humbly adding, “I am happy for this recognition, but it’s all about equal access and fostering positive relationships with the police for each of our residents.”

Like Jane Addams, Chief Wynn is recognized as a role model for community leadership, advocacy, and volunteerism. Over the last decade he has joined forces with organizations on both sides of complex issues working with local government, social service agencies and colleges as well as immigrants’ rights organizations and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services’ office. The Berkshire Immigrant Center has been proud to collaborate with Chief Wynn on multiple trainings, Immigrants’ Day in the Berkshires, the promotion of understanding of immigrant victims’ of crime and newcomers’ needs as well as the fostering of positive relationships between law enforcement, immigrants and the general community.

The mission of the Berkshire Immigrant Center is to welcome new immigrants and refugees and to provide them with the tools and services to integrate into the fabric of their new community. These services are aimed at helping immigrants overcome the unique challenges they face to achieve stable families, self-sufficiency, political and civic involvement, and social inclusion.

 


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Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
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